In a year marked by both celebration and profound loss for the Dragon Ball community, Sparking Zero emerges as more than just another fighting game – it’s a testament to Akira Toriyama’s enduring legacy.

After spending over 50 hours with what essentially serves as the spiritual successor to the beloved Budokai Tenkaichi series, I can confidently say this isn’t merely the game fans have been waiting for – it’s the game they deserve.

The Budokai Tenkaichi Legacy Lives On

As a fighting game fan, and a lover of Dragon Ball since the early days, I’ve spent countless hours playing most of the great Dragon Ball fighting games.

I’ve devoted countless hours to most of the great Dragon Ball fighting games, from the epic DBZ legends on PS1 and Saturn (Yes I’m that old), to the excellent Budokai series, all the way through to the recent FighterZ – which I haven’t really enjoyed. So it was with great excitement that I awaited Sparking Zero from the moment it was announced.

The promise of a return to the arena fighting that defined the Budokai Tenkaichi series raised high expectations. What I found was a fighting system that not only did justice to its predecessors, but evolved the formula significantly.

The arenas feel more alive and dynamic than ever before, running at a rock-solid 60 FPS on Xbox Series X with visual fidelity that often surpasses the source material. The destructible environments aren’t just for show – they play an integral role in combat, creating strategic opportunities and spectacular moments that feel ripped straight from the anime.

Watching a Kamehameha tear through multiple mountains before connecting with your opponent never gets old, and the particle effects and lighting create a sense of power that previous games could only dream of achieving.

Ultra Instinct Graphics

Sparking Zero sets a new visual benchmark for Dragon Ball games. The attention to detail is staggering – from clothing that deteriorates during battle to the way characters interact with different environments. The particle effects during ki blasts and transformations are simply breathtaking, creating moments that somehow manage to look even more impressive than the anime itself. While some texture work in environments can appear less polished up close, the overall presentation during combat is nothing short of spectacular.

Mastering Ki Control: The Art of Combat

The fighting system presents a fascinating technical challenge that would make even Master Roshi proud. As someone well-versed in fighting games, I was surprised to find myself tested by the CPU on normal difficulty – this isn’t your standard button-masher. The combat system revolves around three key resources: Ki, skill points, and the Sparking gauge, each adding layers of strategic depth that reward thoughtful play over wild aggression.

What truly sets Sparking Zero apart is how it captures the ebbs and flows of Dragon Ball’s iconic battles. A fight might start with simple exchanges, but as ki builds and transformations trigger, the intensity ramps up dramatically. The hand-to-hand combat sequences where you can send your opponent flying across the battlefield, only to vanish and continue your assault mid-air, perfectly recreate the series’ most thrilling moments. When your opponent suddenly teleports behind you for a surprise attack, but you manage to vanish at the last second and counter with your own combination – that’s when you truly feel like you’re living the anime.

The dance of teleportation attacks and counters creates moments of pure adrenaline, especially when both fighters are low on health. You’ll find yourself holding your breath as you narrowly dodge a Kamehameha, only to reappear above your opponent and unleash a devastating combination that sends them crashing through multiple mountains. The impact of each hit, the way characters recover mid-air, the swift transitions between ground and aerial combat – it all flows together in a way that previous Dragon Ball games have only dreamed of achieving.

I can confidently say this isn’t merely the game fans have been waiting for – it’s the game they deserve.

The new skill point system adds a welcome strategic element, forcing players to choose between saving resources for transformations or spending them on powerful techniques. Do you burn your resources early for a quick advantage, or do you endure your opponent’s assault while building up for a game-changing transformation? These decisions create dynamic battles where the tide can turn at any moment, just like in the anime’s most memorable fights.

The careful management of your Ki gauge becomes crucial as matches progress. Going all-out with attacks might leave you vulnerable to counters, while playing too defensively could give your opponent the opening they need to power up. It’s this constant push and pull, this strategic layer beneath the spectacular visual effects, that gives Sparking Zero’s combat system its true depth.

Time Chamber Chronicles: Rewriting Dragon Ball History

The story mode represents both one of the game’s greatest achievements and notable shortcomings. The inclusion of alternate scenarios adds genuine replay value, allowing players to explore “what-if” situations that fans have debated for years. Imagine preventing Goku’s sacrifice against Raditz, completely altering the course of the Saiyan saga. These branches aren’t mere gimmicks; they lead to substantial new content and fascinating scenario explorations.

However, the presentation of these stories occasionally feels unpolished. Battles sometimes end abruptly without clear context, and the transition between scenarios can feel jarring. Despite these issues, the core concept and execution of alternative storylines provide something genuinely new to the Dragon Ball gaming universe.

Warriors’ Assembly: 182 Fighters Enter the Arena

The roster of 182 playable characters isn’t just a number – it’s a playground of combat diversity that fundamentally changes how fights unfold. Take Goku’s various forms, for instance. His base form emphasizes fundamental martial arts with swift combinations and the iconic Kamehameha, but transform into Super Saiyan, and you’ll feel the power shift dramatically. His movements become more explosive, his counters more devastating, and his ki attacks gain new properties that can turn the tide of battle.

The combat styles vary dramatically across the roster. Vegeta’s aggressive stance and precise ki blasts feel distinctly different from Piccolo’s stretching attacks and tactical special beam cannon setups. Playing as Broly delivers the raw power fantasy you’d expect – his massive frame doesn’t just look intimidating, it affects how you approach combat. His charges plow through smaller characters’ attacks, and his grabs feel appropriately devastating, sending opponents through multiple layers of terrain.

What’s particularly impressive is how each character’s iconic moments are woven into their movesets. Launch into Perfect Cell’s rolling Death Saucer attack, and you’ll find yourself recreating that infamous chase sequence with Goku. Gohan’s Father-Son Kamehameha isn’t just a cinematic super move – it’s a powerful counter-attack that can punish overly aggressive opponents, complete with the emotional weight of the original scene.

However, this diversity comes with some balance concerns. While it’s thrilling to see lower-tier characters hold their own against major threats – watching Master Roshi turtle-shell slam Jiren has its charm – it somewhat undermines the power scaling that made Dragon Ball’s battles so compelling. Yet, in casual matches, this balance choice creates opportunities for exciting David versus Goliath scenarios that, while not canon-accurate, deliver memorable moments.

Each character comes with unique mechanics that affect their battle strategy. Frieza’s various forms aren’t just cosmetic changes – each transformation alters his movement speed, attack properties, and special move options. The same goes for fusion characters like Gogeta, where maintaining the fusion becomes part of your battle strategy. Do you go all out with your most powerful techniques, or do you pace yourself to maintain the fusion for the full duration?

The implementation of team battles adds another layer of strategy. Switching between characters mid-combo isn’t just flashy – it’s a crucial tool for extending combinations and managing resources. Tag in Piccolo after launching an opponent skyward with Gohan, and you might find yourself recreating their tag-team tactics from the Cell saga.

World Tournament Blues: The Online Battlefield

When everything clicks, online battles in Sparking Zero deliver the kind of intense exchanges that would make the World Tournament audience roar. The netcode generally holds up well, allowing for precise timing on counters and combo executions. Watching your opponent’s Goku Black transform mid-fight into Rosé, knowing you need to adapt your strategy immediately, creates the kind of tension that makes online fighting games special.

However, like Frieza showing up to a friendly sparring match, there’s a dark side to the online experience. The lack of a proper penalty system for rage-quitters turns what should be epic conclusions into frustrating disconnections. Nothing kills the thrill of perfectly executing Ultimate Gohan’s potential unleashed combo quite like your opponent disconnecting before the final hit lands. Unlike Street Fighter 6‘s robust ranking system, Sparking Zero’s online infrastructure feels incomplete, lacking the competitive framework its combat system deserves.

Shenron’s Wish Factory: Creating Your Own Battles

The Custom Battle Creator offers a depth that would impress even Whis himself. Want to recreate the tension of Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation, but with different triggers and outcomes? You can. Fancy setting up a tournament where fighters can only use ki attacks? It’s possible. The system allows you to craft scenarios with specific power limitations, transformation conditions, and even custom win requirements.

However, like mastering Ultra Instinct, there’s a steep learning curve to fully utilizing these tools. The basic editor serves its purpose for simple setups, but creating truly compelling scenarios requires more time investment than perfecting the Spirit Bomb.

Interface Growing Pains

The contrast between Sparking Zero’s sublime combat and its clunky interface is as jarring as Goku’s farming outfit. While in-fight displays are crystal clear – showing ki levels, health, and combat resources with perfect precision – the menu navigation feels like it’s still training under heavy gravity. The training mode, despite offering comprehensive tools, buries essential information under confusing layouts. It’s particularly frustrating when trying to master more complex mechanics like timing-specific counters or practicing transformation cancels.

Performance on the Xbox Series X remains impressive, maintaining 60 FPS even during the most chaotic battles. However, the decision to restrict split-screen multiplayer to the Time Chamber arena feels like wearing weighted clothing unnecessarily. Sure, it’s thematically appropriate, but it limits the local multiplayer experience that made previous games in the series legendary at gatherings.

Power Level Reading: The FinalBoss Verdict

Future Trunks’ Timeline: Looking Ahead

Like Trunks arriving with hope for a better future, Sparking Zero’s potential hinges on post-launch support. The foundation is rock solid – the combat system is deep and rewarding, the visuals are spectacular, and the content is abundant. If Bandai Namco addresses the online issues and continues to refine the experience, this could become the definitive Dragon Ball game for years to come.

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero isn’t just another licensed game – it’s a Super Saiyan-level achievement that understands what makes Dragon Ball special. While it may not achieve perfect form in every aspect, it captures the spirit, excitement, and power of the series better than any game before it. For fans who’ve been waiting for a true successor to the Budokai Tenkaichi series, your patience has been rewarded with a game that would make even Akira Toriyama proud.

As I return to the game for yet another round of “what-if” scenarios and online battles, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just a fighting game, it’s a celebration of Dragon Ball’s 40-year legacy. Despite its imperfections, it stands as the most complete and satisfying Dragon Ball gaming experience to date. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more power levels to surpass and alternate timelines to explore. Kakarot, let’s rock!